The ZST Big Prize Draw

This summer ZST organised a Grand Draw to raise funds for our projects in Zambia in health, education and support of orphans.

The response from our members and supporters has been overwhelmingly generous, raising over £4,000 all of which goes to our projects. Several supporters each raised over £200, and the rest of the money arrived steadily from members, their families and friends. We’re especially grateful to the many kind people who bought their tickets and then added a further donation for our funds – we’ll be writing to thank you individually. The draw took place at our Annual General Meeting last Saturday, 21st November, and all the winners will be informed in writing shortly. Tickets were on sale at the AGM, and many thanks to Anne Fraenkel, “sales lady extraordinaire”, who took £326 in ticket sales and donations at the meeting itself!

Almost everyone I spoke to about the raffle said how splendid the prizes were. Grateful thanks to Peter Fleming for organising such an impressive collection. I’m sure all the winners are delighted, with the possible exception of the winner of the case of wine, who, my contact tells me, is a teetotaller! I think she’ll be very popular with her friends this Christmas!

Organising the raffle also had a welcome and unexpected result. Quite a number of our members took the trouble to write and tell us stories about their time and experiences in Zambia when they sent their cheques. These letters were fascinating – thank you all so much for sharing your stories with us. One was from a member who met Dr Kaunda in the hospital when her son was born. He asked her if she would give her son his own name, which she did. Thank you so much to all who wrote about your life in Zambia. we’d would like to hear very much more from you. Clearly our members do like to keep in touch, and this is very much appreciated.

Finally, thanks to everyone involved in this very successful draw – organisers, ticket sellers and everyone who bought tickets and sent donations. With your help the work in Zambia goes on.